


I wanna dance with somebody

by plikki



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Dancing, Eventual reveal, F/M, Heart-to-Heart, Marichat, Post Season 3, pre-reveal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-16
Updated: 2020-08-30
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:53:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 9,893
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25934707
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/plikki/pseuds/plikki
Summary: Marinette needs someone to help her overcome her fear of dancing. Chat is on board with the idea. Where could this possibly lead?
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Comments: 140
Kudos: 230





	1. Arrangements

**Author's Note:**

> Blame Evillustrator, which made me crave some Marichat. Will I ever be able to resist when it comes to these two? 🤔

“Excuse me? Did you just ask me to teach you to dance?” Adrien asked, incredulous. The way Marinette’s eyes darted away from him told him that her request had been impulsive and she probably regretted asking in the first place. But it was too late. She’d asked and he was already intrigued. 

This wasn’t what he’d expected when he stopped by to check on her. She’d been a little distant lately. She looked troubled but also like she was actively trying to avoid him. While she’d been shy and awkward around him in the past, she’d never before gave him a reason to believe she had anything against his company. 

He didn’t want to intrude but he was worried. Had he done anything wrong? Was something wrong with her? Something she was hiding from her friends. He didn’t want to ask Alya or Nino, it wasn’t right. And he had yet another option. 

She’d always been more relaxed around Chat. Surprisingly so. In fact she was like a totally different person. This was something that always made him wonder. So he’d decided to try to get what was going on out of her and hoped she’d trust him.

He totally hadn’t expected to be asked to teach her to dance within minutes of arriving on her balcony.

She’d been deep in thought so the request probably had to do with what she was thinking about. 

“Forget I asked,” she mumbled, clearly embarrassed. This was not the way to make her open up to him. 

“Marinette, I didn’t say I wouldn’t do it.” As far as ridiculous requests went, this was fairly normal and wouldn’t require a great effort on his part, so he didn’t mind helping her. But he needed to know why she needed him. “I’m just surprised. What brought this on?” 

“Well, Alya somehow roped me into going to this dance. It’s silly, really. But it’s supposed to be kind of a big thing and I’ll probably have to wear a dress. And I’m nervous.” She didn’t need to say it. It was obvious. Hm. 

“And why would you ask me to help you? Not that I mind. But do I look like a dance instructor or something?” He said, flashing her a grin. She still looked embarrassed but the corners of her mouth lifted. 

“Not exactly. It’s just that you look so easy going and confident and so comfortable in your skin. I can’t imagine you feeling self-conscious when dancing.” She said, shrugging. She wasn’t off the mark. He didn’t mind dancing and didn’t consider it a daunting chore when attending an official event. The truth was he’d had some training through the years since his father considered it a valuable skill.

He had no idea how she'd formed this opinion of him but it was true. But he also couldn’t imagine why Marinette was so troubled by the idea of dancing. 

“I admit I don’t have a problem in that department,” he said. “But why are you afraid of dancing in the first place?”

“Have you seen me try to cross a flat surface without tripping at least once?” she said, laughing self-deprecatingly. He knew she was a little clumsy but the truth was he couldn’t say so since any time he’d seen her as Chat she’d seemed very composed. It was as if she forgot her own clumsiness when she was focused on something, especially when there was something important she had to deal with, during an akuma attack for example. 

“I can’t imagine this happening,” he said playfully and she finally smiled a genuine smile. 

“You’d be surprised how prone I am to such accidents,” she said. “Also,” she said, looking at her hands. “I’m kind of nervous about dancing with someone.”

This was strange. He’d danced with her and she didn’t seem to have a problem then. But of course he couldn’t say that.

“Why is that? Have you never danced with someone?” He asked instead.

“Only once in fact. But I attribute the fact that it went without a hitch to my amazing dancing partner,” she said with a soft smile, but then frowned, as if the memory wasn’t a welcome one. That was really disturbing. He’d almost preened himself on his achievement before realising that he couldn’t. And now it seemed that she didn’t like remembering dancing with him. He’d definitely use the opportunity to probe more into the reason for this.

“That’s good. Having a good partner means you don’t really have to worry about doing anything wrong, you can just let them take the lead. Do you hope to dance with anyone in particular at the event?” he asked, trying to suppress the strange feeling he felt as he imagined her dancing with someone else. 

“No,” she answered but again avoided looking at him. “I shouldn't. It’s stupid, really. It’s more as a precaution in case someone asks me.” It finally dawned on him that there may be another reason for her request.

“Are you nervous because of your date?” he asked. Of course she wasn’t going alone. She was probably taking Luka. Which was strange. He was very musical so Adrien couldn’t imagine him having a problem with dancing. 

“My date?” She asked, perplexed. “I’m not going with anyone.” Even more strange.

“Why is that, if I may ask? It’s not possible that you didn’t have candidates for the role?” He said, grinning, trying to sneak in a compliment. She blushed! He was clearly onto something.

“Well, I didn’t want to take anyone because my heart isn’t exactly free and it was wrong to lead someone on,” she said. 

“You can’t ask the person you’re interested in?” he asked. The same frown appeared on her face.

“No,” she said. “He’s probably going with his girlfriend anyway.” There was a flash of pain in her eyes and it made his heart ache for her. This was unfortunate. And adding to the mystery. Since he knew that Luka liked her. This was about someone else then.

It was the word girlfriend that made him realise that she was probably talking about the same dance Kagami had asked him to. He tried to school his expression as he remembered her reaction when he’d told her that they could only go as friends. It had been the last straw. She’d said she’d waited long enough for him to take the next step. He couldn’t blame her. He’d tried, but he still couldn’t bring himself to kiss her and she’s been surprisingly patient. 

But just like Marinette said, it hadn’t felt right to lead her on. He knew what she wanted and he couldn’t give it to her. She’d been hurt but he knew she appreciated his honesty. 

“Look, I just want to have a good time,” Marinette interrupted his thoughts. “And if anyone asks me to dance, I don’t want to cause a scene. So I’d appreciate a little help.”

“Of course, I understand,” he said. It sounded pretty reasonable.

“I also feel good with you,” she said and blushed again. “I mean, I don’t get embarrassed easily around you,” she continued before he could say anything although this claim was refuted by her blush. There was obviously more to this but he didn't want to tease her.

“You mean I’m usually acting so silly that there is no danger of you outdoing it?” He said instead and they bought laughed.

“Something like that.” She said with a surprisingly fond expression. 

He was glad that the unfortunate love confession on her part was behind them. She was obviously over whatever she’d felt for him, since she was talking about someone else. He was curious who this could be if it wasn’t Luka. Maybe he could get her to open up about that too.

“Ok. I’ll help you. Any particular demands? Should I prepare to teach you the tango?” he said with a suggestive smile. She rolled her eyes and then laughed again. Finally, a normal reaction from her.

“No need to worry about that. I don’t want anything elaborate. It’s more about getting used to dancing with someone. A move or two will be a bonus.”

“We have a deal then. You’ll take care of the music?” She nodded. “I’ll come here?” 

“Yes, here and I think this time is perfect. If we have to change it, we’ll work around that.”

“How many lessons do you expect?” 

“I think two or three times a week. It’s in two weeks. Does this sound ok?”

“Yes, I can manage that,” he said, trying to hide his reaction. He felt strangely elated by the thought that they were going to spend so much time together. He decided it was because they would have many opportunities to talk. 

“And what will you want in return?” she asked, looking a little apprehensive. He gasped.

“You wound me, princess! I’m doing this out of the goodness of my heart.” She laughed again. “Seriously. I just want you to have the best night,” he said truthfully. She deserved it.

“Thank you, Chat. Until next time?” Her smile warmed his heart.

“Until next time.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Blame my brain for deciding this has the potential of a multi-chapter. Is it wrong? 🤨


	2. Ballade Pour Adeline

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first dance session is here and Marinette realises things will be a little more complicated than expected.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you've read other multi-chapter works of mine, you probably know I don't make them very long. 5-6 chapters is something of a standard for me. It's long enough for me to explore an idea I have in detail and not long enough to make me go crazy, since I usually write daily until it's finished and I can get it out of my system. So this is probably what you can expect for this one too. Enjoy!

Marinette didn’t regret asking Chat to help her with dancing. But like most things she did (at least in her civilian life) it had been impulsive and not well thought-out. 

It was true that she regretted agreeing to go to that dance. Mainly because she was really not in a mood right now. She felt so overwhelmed with all the responsibilities she had that having fun was really low on the agenda. Also she wasn’t sure how likely she was to have fun there. Especially if Adrien was there with Kagami and she had to put on a brave face…

It was also true that Chat had this calming effect over her. She felt kind of normal when she was with him. So even though he didn’t know that he would be visiting Ladybug for the next two weeks and she couldn’t be entirely herself with him, the thought of spending time with him brought a smile to her face. Maybe she could even snoop a little about how things with his superhero partner were going. He’d somehow changed when he was around her and she wanted to know why. She was just worried, she in no way missed his attention, ok? 

However, she’d failed to consider something else in addition to the need to watch what she said around him. 

When she hit play and turned towards him, this became glaringly obvious. Dancing, especially slow dancing, meant a lot of physical contact, there was no way around that. This basically meant that she was going to spend a lot of time in very close proximity to Chat over the next days. 

When their eyes met, she could almost hear the same thought running through his mind. _Calm down, Marinette, this is nothing scary._ She for one was extremely used to having him that close. Yes, it was different in the heat of the battle when such things barely registered. But it couldn’t be _ that  _ different, right?

“You’re not having second thoughts, are you?” He asked as he took her hand in his. His smile was encouraging and she realised it was stupid to worry about this. This was Chat after all. She couldn’t imagine anyone else she’d rather be doing this with. 

“Not at all,” she said as she took another step closer and felt his other hand on her waist. Her own instinctively found its way to his shoulder. When she looked up at him, she almost gulped. When their eyes met, something strange passed between them. Ok, she would definitely need some time to get used to that. For some reason he caused her thoughts to go haywire and she needed to be focused. She didn’t want to let something incriminating slip. “I hope you like my choice of music,” she said in an attempt to diffuse the tension.

He blinked and he looked as if he’d forgotten where he was and what they were doing. She secretly felt pleased that she wasn’t the only one affected. After all, this should be easier for him since he didn’t know she was his partner and didn’t have to hide aspects of their relationship. He cocked a cat ear in the most adorable way and listened to the music. His eyes widened and he smiled.

“Richard Clayderman?” He asked. There was something giddy about his expression that made her heart flutter. Focus, Marinette.

“You know him?” She asked, surprised. Because she hadn’t pegged him as the classical music type of guy. And if he could recognise who was playing only from a few notes, he really knew him. He hesitated for a moment as if he didn’t want to admit it.  _ Come on, Chat, it wouldn’t hurt your masculine image, _ she wanted to tell him. 

“Um, my father made me listen to him and I’ve picked up a thing or two,” he said and she had a feeling that this wasn’t the whole truth. But she didn’t want to press him. “I like this piece,” he added. 

“Ballade pour Adeline” is my favourite,” Marinette said, beaming at him. She remembered listening to Clayderman's music since she was very little, while she was helping her mother. She’d always loved the soothing effect his music had on her. It was nice that they had this in common. 

“I most definitely approve of your choice,” he said with a wink. “You’re doing quite well by the way,” he added, drawing her attention to the fact that they were actually dancing. She hadn’t realised it, she’d been so consumed with other things. He obviously had a way with this.

But as soon as she focused on the act of dancing, it was as if she sprouted a third leg from somewhere and her own two became impossibly entangled. As a result, she stepped on Chat’s foot and jumped back in horror.

“I’m sorry!” She said. 

“Huh?” he said, looking confused by her outburst.

“I stepped on you,” she squealed. 

“Oh, I didn’t even feel that. Armoured boots, you know,” he said with a smile and he looked like he meant it. She relaxed.

“You’re lucky. But my dancing partner at the dance probably won’t have such extras.” She said, only half joking. She was really worried about stepping on someone’s feet. It was pure luck that had saved her from such embarrassment with Adrien. But she wasn’t going to think about him. 

“Unless it’s me,” he said, clearly joking. But what an interesting thought this was! Marinette had to banish from her mind images of her in the beautiful dress she was making, dancing the night away in Chat’s arms. What was wrong with her” She laughed awkwardly. “Just so you know, you can step on me as much as you want,” he added and this time they both laughed. 

“I’m trying not to! That’s the whole point!”

“You’ll get there.”

They swayed to the music as the piece came to an end and another began. 

“Do you know what’s interesting? That I almost ended up going to the same dance,” he said after a while. 

“Really? What happened?” She asked before realising that he most certainly meant as his civilian self and worried that this might give away too much. Then again, there were hundreds of people going there and besides from what he said, she surmised that he wasn’t really going. 

“Well, there was this girl… She wanted us to go as a couple. But I couldn’t bring myself to do it,” he said, sighing. He looked so guilty, saying that, that she felt sorry for him. Just then she realised that maybe this was the reason he’d been acting differently around her.

“Because of Ladybug?” She asked without thinking. Yikes. 

“Yeah,” Chat answered, his expression turning wistful.  _ Oh.  _ His feelings hadn’t really changed, he’d just been trying to fight them, she realised. She didn’t know how she felt about that. 

“Don’t feel guilty,” she said instead. “Do you remember what I told you? A friend of mine also asked me to the dance but I turned him down because… It didn’t feel right. I understand how you feel. But it was still the right thing to do.”

“I know. Look at us. Why do we have to pine for those we can’t have?” He asked with a sad smile. 

“Ah well, that’s life. We can’t force our hearts to want something. They have to decide for themselves.”

“You’re right. Hey, check this out,” he said and then twisted the hand that was holding hers, twirling her away from him. Fortunately, she only missed a step and laughed as the air whooshed around her. She found herself with her back pressed against Chat’s chest and looked up at him with a grin.

“I don’t think you have a problem with dancing,” he said with a matching grin.

“This is your doing. You’re good at distracting me,” she said.  _ Just like Adrien _ , she added in her mind. What a strange thought. She shook her head. 

“That’s good. I think my work here will be done quicker than anticipated.”

“What? No!” She exclaimed. She didn’t want this to be over, she realised. It really felt so good. She couldn't’ remember the last time she’d felt so relaxed. Even when talking with him, she felt at ease. She turned around.

“This is good for a first time, but it’s not enough,” she said. He laughed softly. “Unless you don’t want to do it,” she added, looking away. 

“I didn’t say that, Marinette. I love spending time with you and I said I’d help you. But I don’t really see what the problem is.” She looked pointedly at him. “You stepped on my foot once. It doesn’t count.”

“We’ll need at least a few attempts with no accidents before I can say I’m ready,” she said, pouting. 

“Ok, I didn’t mean that this will be the first and last time we’ll do this. I just expect that you’ll be done within a week,” he said with a wink. “Cheer up, I thought this would be good news.” 

“Well, we’ll see how it goes,” she said. She didn’t expect to fall as low as to fake clumsiness to prolong the dancing sessions but… She’d think of something. “See you in two days then?” 

“Yes, I’ll be here. Do you know the tale of the 12 dancing princesses? I have only one.” He said with a grin. She looked at him.

“Was this supposed to be funny?” she asked.

“It sounded funnier in my head. Anyway, make sure to wait for me with a fresh pair of dancing shoes.”

“Yes, yes, I will,” she said. “Thank you once again,” she called after him as he vaulted onto the next rooftop. He waved without turning around. When Tikki finally came looking for her, Marinette realised she’d stood there with a smile on her face for quite some time.

“Did you have a nice time?” The kwami asked. 

“Yes, I did. This wasn’t such a bad idea after all,” she conceded. 

Maybe it would get even better. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another interesting story - I grew up listening to all kinds of music because of my parents and older sister. I remember clearly playing my dad's cassettes and loving the "piano" music. Richard Clayderman barely registered as a name. I must have been barely 10 at the time. But when I was thinking of music appropriate for this fic, I remembered his music. Imagine my surprise when I looked him up and he turned out to be French! Talk about a nice coincidence. So I think it works well in the story, especially with Adrien playing the piano. The title piece is one I heard and instantly remembered from more than 20 years ago. The power of music!


	3. Waltzing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien finds out unexpected things about Marinette's secret crush
> 
> /also waltz - act casually, confidently/ 😉

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At present, this looks like it will be 6 chapters. Ending with a dance and a reveal 😉

Adrien couldn't hold back his grin when he saw Marinette on her balcony, waiting for him. A whole week has passed since they first agreed to hold these dancing sessions. Lesson three was looming and it all felt familiar now. 

He couldn’t exactly explain his reaction when he saw her answering grin. It felt so good to see her welcome him like that. Was this the reason he looked forward to seeing her again? He was completely taken aback by the emotions swirling in his mind whenever he headed her way, he didn’t think he could even pick them apart and name them. It wasn’t something he’d expected when he agreed to this.

He was enthralled with this side of Marinette. More confident, playful, open. She’d reminded him of Ladybug before but now the similarities were almost overwhelming. He tried to shake this off. He didn’t enjoy Marinette’s company just because she reminded him of his lady. Who was not his lady at all and he should stop thinking about her in that way, he reminded himself. 

He tried to concentrate on other things. Like how since they’d gone through two such sessions already, he no longer had to pretend that it didn’t feel natural to hold her as they danced. At first he’d been afraid that she’d somehow make the connection between the way she danced with Chat and that one dance with Adrien. But this didn’t seem to be the case. 

However, he now felt too tempted to bring her closer, to wrap his arms around her and have her rest her head on his shoulder the way she’d done for the briefest moment when they’d danced together that first time. Where was this coming from? What was happening?

“Chat?” Her voice brought him back to the present. With Marinette swaying to the music with him. He’d spaced out. Not good. 

“Sorry. I got lost in my thoughts.”

“It’s ok. This must get repetitive after a while,” she said with a smile. 

“No, not at all!” He protested. But he couldn’t exactly tell her what he’d been thinking? He had to improvise. “I was just wondering… You know my sorry tale. Will you tell me more about your mysterious guy?” This didn’t sound too strange. And it was true. He was curious. 

“It’s embarrassing actually,” she said with a half-smile, half-frown. “Well, he told me he’s in love with someone. And this other friend likes him. I think they’re together now.”

“Ouch. I’m sorry.”

“No big deal. I’ve kind of gotten used to it by now. If only I could convince my heart to stop hoping he’d somehow turn up at the dance alone and ask me to dance with him again.”

Again. The word hung in the air and Adrien felt like she’d just dropped a bomb on him. She’d said before she’d only ever danced with someone once. With him, Adrien him. And now she was saying this?   
“It’s the guy you danced with that one time?” he heard himself asking.

“Um, yeah.” It probably didn’t seem like a big deal for her to admit this. She had no way of knowing that he’d make the connection. There was no way for him to know unless… He was the guy. Which he obviously was.

He felt so stupid all of a sudden. Her awkwardness around him, Alya and Nino’s secret scheming that somehow always brought them together. The sad way she’d looked at him and Kagami. He’d never felt the need to curse so bad before.

But he’d asked her. More than once. Whenever her behaviour caused a red light to appear in his mind. He never thought too much of it, but he’d asked her. And she’d said that of course she didn’t like him like that. So really, was it his fault that he believed her? That he didn’t see beyond her words. 

“Did you ever tell him how you feel?” He asked, surprised by the hurt in his voice. He hoped she couldn’t hear it.

“No. That’s the whole problem. I never got the guts to do it. And now it’s too late,” she said, shrugging. “He deserves to be happy and if it should be with someone else, so be it.”

She’d deliberately left him with Kagami, he realised. She’d tried to give them space, to give her friend a chance to make a move because she was too afraid to do it. She’d read their friendliness and easy banter as more than it was. 

Then again, what would have happened if she’d confessed to him? The same thing that had happened when she’d told Chat she was in love with him. Which looked even stranger now in light of the new information. When did she get over one and fell for the other without realising they were the same person? His mind was whirring. Why did he feel the need to remind himself that he was in love with Ladybug? 

All this explained the recent change in Marinette’s attitude. The distance between them. The frown when she remembered dancing with him. She was trying to get over him. 

He didn’t know what to do. It was wrong that he knew and she didn’t know that he knew. But what was he supposed to do short of revealing himself? Which was not an option. 

Maybe he’d just stick to his plan to get closer to her as Chat. She seemed to enjoy his company this way. And maybe he’d get to disentangle the complicated way he felt about her. 

He needed a distraction first. He paused and let her go. 

“Do you by any chance have a waltz in that playlist?” he asked. He knew for a fact that Richard Clayderman had some waltz pieces but he didn’t want to say so. It had been hard enough to hide his familiarity with the pianist’s work. 

“Waltz? Do you think I’m going to a dance in Vienna instead of Paris?” She said with a laugh. 

“Ha-ha. No, you asked for some moves. This is good practice. It’s simple and will help you worry less about stepping on someone’s toes.”

She put the music on and returned to stand before him. He took her hand in his, while placing his other one just below her shoulder blade, pulling her a little closer to him. Waltz wasn’t very physical but it still required more physical contact than what they were used to. Would she mind? When he checked her face, he saw her looking at him with a soft smile. Her eyes were so incredibly trusting.    
He didn’t know what he’d done to deserve her trust like that. She’d never hesitated to follow him somewhere or let him take her somewhere safe. And now this.   
“Is this ok?” He still asked. She felt so warm and he really had to fight the urge to forgo the waltz and just hold her.

“Of course,” she said as if it was obvious. 

“Ok. It’s pretty simple. You take a step back with your right foot, then move left with your left one, a step forward with the left foot and right with the right one. It’s like drawing a square with your feet, see?” He said, trying to guide her into the right steps. 

It took them a few tries but eventually they found the right rhythm. 

“It’s not so bad,” she said, as she finally dared to look up from her feet. 

“I told you, you’re a natural,” he said with a smile. It was true. Anyone could lose their balance every now and then. But overall she was doing great. He really didn’t know why she’d asked him to help her in the first place. 

“With a good partner, everything is easy, you said so yourself,” she reminded him. 

“That’s true for both of us,” he said with a wink. “So, are we cutting the sessions short?” He didn’t want to, but it wasn’t fair to pretend she needed his help.

“Of course not. I told you we’re not done yet.” There it was, the same reaction from her. Her hand even squeezed his shoulder lightly as if she didn’t want to let him go. Was it too much to hope that she wanted him near her too? 

“More waltz next time then?” He asked, trying to keep his voice light. 

“Sounds good to me.” She said, matching his tone. 

They continued tracing their steps, lost in the music. This was turning into a game to see who would let go first and Adrien was determined to hold on as long as possible. The wonderful thing was that she didn’t seem to mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More childhood stories? Sure. I remember listening to old records on my grandparents' record player. I was very small when I loved dancing with my older sister and cousins to Strauss's Blue Danube, pretending to be in a ballroom somewhere. Happy memories 😊


	4. We light up the room, can't you feel it?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette realises that she doesn't want to let go of Chat when their arrangement comes to an end

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll treat you with the full quote from the song that inspired the chapter title:  
> We light up the room, can't you feel it?  
> Between us there's so much energy  
> and I know you're good for me and  
> love's just beginning to blossom  
> (Jan Johnston & Serge Devant - Transparent)
> 
> Also, what in the world is slow burn? I've never heard of it. Things burn fast here 😎

Marinette knew she was in trouble. She wasn’t sure when she’d begun to fall but she’d fallen fast and hard. There was no other explanation for how Chat’s arms felt like home. For how she looked forward to every dancing session and how hard it was to let him go at the end of it. 

She was amazed by how gentle he was with her, how careful he was to explain everything and to make sure she was comfortable, how encouraging he was from the very beginning, never letting her doubt herself. She felt so sad that she’d been too busy to notice that side of him until now. 

Or maybe there was something about their private dancing sessions. It felt different, being alone there with him, dancing under the stars, with the soft piano music around them. It really felt like there was no one else in the world but them. This was what made her open up and tell him things she hadn’t expected to. And the same went for him.

They talked and laughed and danced until they could barely feel their feet. This was true at least for her, since the magic didn’t let him tire so easily. It was addictive, it was dangerous. But she couldn’t stop.

When their last session finally arrived, a day before the big dance, she felt sad. Because there was no way to prolong that. There was also no way to know if he wanted to. She could only hold onto him for as long as she could.

Moving along to the music with him felt like second nature to her. This meant she could let her mind wander. She realised it’s been some time since she’d last imagined dancing with Adrien again. However, every time she worked on her dress she imagined wearing it and dancing with Chat. It wasn’t right and yet she couldn’t stop doing it. 

“You’re doing great.” Chat said, bringing her back into the moment. “Anyone would be lucky to dance with you.”

“I told you I don’t expect to dance actually.” She felt more certain of this as she said it. In fact she didn’t want to dance with anyone if it wasn’t him.  _ Oh God, what have I done?  _

“You did tell me you’re secretly hoping for someone,” he said. There was something unnerving about his smile. As if he knew something she didn’t.

“Maybe not anymore,” she said, shrugging. He looked a little taken aback by this for some reason. As if she’d just said she didn’t want to dance with him. 

“What about you? Do you wish you could take Ladybug to that dance?” She heard herself ask. Stupid. Where had that come from? It was not right for her to ask this. 

“Why would I?” He seemed genuinely surprised by her question.

“Because of how you feel about her?” She noted, finding it strange to be the one reminding him of that.

“She’s made herself clear. It would be stupid to keep hoping for something more, right? Maybe it’s time to move on.” His words made sense, totally. But they were both what she’d wanted to hear for so long and what she somehow dreaded now. Did he mean it? It was too late for her to change her mind?

Then she caught him looking at her with a strange expression. It was as if there was a deeper meaning to his words. Something that was eluding her. Something that made her heart beat faster. 

The music came to an end at this moment and they paused. She still didn’t want to let him go though. She wasn’t ready.

“Will you give me a few minutes? I want to show you something.” He nodded and she ran down into her room as fast as she could. Tikki was looking at her with an amused expression while she took off her clothes in a frenzy and struggled to put on the dress she’d made with so much dedication. A dress that somehow reflected her changing feelings for Chat.

It was bolder than what she’d had in mind initially. The sweetheart neckline was discrete but still showed off her collarbones beautifully, even if she said so. The pin up model was inspired by prom dresses she’d seen in old movies. She’d picked up a soft, light pink fabric with white polka dots that gave it a playful look. She’d worked hard to add tulle to the skirt to make it as full as possible. It fell to her knees and swished when she moved. She twirled experimentally and loved the way it followed her movements. Lastly, she tied the black bow at the back of her waist. 

Apart from what was visible to the eye, it was made of shared secrets, quiet laughter and gentle touches. It was soft, sweet and blush-worthy, just like whatever it was between them.

Marinette swallowed nervously as she returned to her balcony. Chat was waiting with his back to her, propped up on the metal railing. When he heard her come up, he turned around.

She paused unsure in the middle of the balcony, feeling really self-conscious all of a sudden. Was it stupid to show him the dress? What if it wasn’t as good as she thought it was? What if he didn’t care about it at all?

But somehow his reaction told her he cared. His eyes widened and his mouth actually fell open as he took her in. She nervously twiddled her fingers as she waited for his verdict.

“Do you like it?” She asked finally when he just kept staring at her. He looked like he was coming out of a trance and was trying very hard not to blush because of his reaction.

“You look so beautiful,” he said, his voice full of reverence. 

“It’s the dress,” she said, turning around to show it off. He took a step towards her and used a finger to trace the fabric at her waist, careful not to catch it with a claw. 

“It’s exquisite, I agree,” he said, looking up at her. “But I have a feeling it wouldn’t look so good on someone else.” Marinette could feel her cheeks warm up because there was something in his eyes. He’d never looked at Ladybug like that, she realised, and the thought caused her blush to deepen. The air between them felt charged, electrified. There was something between them, something that had been there from the start but had only grown in intensity as time passed. 

“So did you want to have a dress rehearsal?” He said with a playful voice, breaking the spell.

It took her a moment to catch the joke and she gave a startled laugh. 

“Exactly.”

They did a few rounds of the balcony, her skirt rustling softly between them. It felt so magical and perfect that she really didn’t care about the dance. It couldn’t be even half as good as dancing with him with no one else around was. She’d never felt like that before, she was sure.

As the piece came to a close, he wrapped his arm around her waist and dipped her slowly. She giggled. But he didn’t let go of her immediately. Her heart started beating faster as she got lost in his eyes. He was clearly contemplating something and with his warmth seeping into her, she couldn’t focus. Why did she feel like she wanted to kiss him all of a sudden?

He pulled back after a while, helping her to stand upright. 

“I’m sorry, I got a little carried away,” he said, clearly embarrassed. He turned around to leave. “Well, my work here is done. I hope you have a great time, really.” He was smiling, but there was a hint of sadness in his voice that she couldn’t explain.

“Wait, Chat.” He stopped and looked at her questioningly.

“Do you think you can come to the dance?” She asked. Because suddenly she was sure. She didn’t want to dance with anyone else. Only him. It was irrational, she shouldn’t want this, let alone say it out loud. But she couldn’t stop herself.

“Why?” he asked, confused.

“I’ll save you a dance,” she said with a shy smile. He smiled slowly in return, finally realising what she meant. He took a step back to her and took her hand in his. His eyes never left hers as his lips lightly brushed her knuckles. She shivered.

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” 

His quiet promise lingered in the air even after he left. 


	5. There is one last dance, your final chance, so take it

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette has to hand it to Chat - the way he joins her at the dance is completely unexpected.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Impossible task of the day - how to write this chapter summary without spoiling too much???? Phew, I hope it wasn't too bad. Read on to find out more!
> 
> (Title of chapter from Tom Novy ft. Lima - Take it)

As Marinette prepared for the dance, she had to try very hard to hide her excitement. After Chat’s promise that he would go, she finally had a reason to look forward to that evening. But Alya didn’t know that and shouldn’t know that.

And since her best friend was getting ready with her, this meant she had to pretend.

“Maybe Adrien will be there.” Alya’s comment was one she’d heard so much over the weeks. She still couldn’t understand Marinette’s sudden reluctance to be where Adrien was. Or the lack of enthusiasm about meeting him somewhere out of school. And Marinette couldn’t explain. Not until she had it confirmed that he was with someone else. Even then though, she’d probably have to play being heart-broken, which she wasn’t. Far from it, at least at the moment. But that would be even trickier to explain.

So she just smiled and hoped that Alya was wrong. If there was one thing that could still ruin her evening, it was Adrien and Kagami being there together. Maybe she was getting over her feelings for Adrien, she really hoped so, but she didn't have it in her to pretend to be happy for them. Maybe soon, but not yet.

When they arrived at the venue, Alya left to go mingle. Which left Marinette to her thoughts.

She couldn’t help looking around in hope. He’d promised, hadn’t he? But then again she wondered how he’d manage to pull this off. No one expected the superheroes to appear at the dance and it would attract so much attention if he ended up being there. She realised that her invitation for him to join her at the dance had been just a little too imprudent for her liking. She’d inadvertently put him in a position to decide between standing her up and potentially compromising his integrity by using his superhero status to have fun at a dance. Or something like that. Not to mention how this would put her in danger, single her out for his obvious preference for her. 

She’d acted so impulsively, led by her burgeoning feelings for him. It had been wrong but there was no way to make this right now. And just imagine if he knew that the one who’d led him to transgress was none other than his usually so strict partner. Talk about disgrace. She could only hope that he’d think of a way to deal with this discreetly. She trusted him to find a solution when she’d been too hasty to think things through. Oh, the irony.

“Adrien at five o’clock, girl,” she heard Alya’s voice in her ear and almost jumped into the air.

She didn’t turn around immediately, the way she would have before, but her treacherous heart still skipped a beat. Why was she so unlucky all of a sudden? She’d just realised what a mess she’d caused and now this.

“He’s alone,” Alya whispered. 

“No Kagami?” She asked, surprised. It was a valid question, which in no way revealed how she felt about him. Or really hoped that she did.

“No. And he’s looking in our direction. Oops, he’s coming here. I’ll go. Hi, Adrien. I have to dash.” If this wasn’t betrayal, Marinette didn’t know what was. And Alya was making it so obvious she wanted to leave them alone. 

She sighed and finally turned around. She didn’t want to feel it but her heart still betrayed her. It was beating so fast as she took him in. He didn’t wear a suit, it wasn’t exactly a black tie event. But he had a dress shirt on. Black, which wasn’t a traditional choice but oh, how it suited him. And he’d accidentally/on purpose had left it unbuttoned at the top. She gulped. Casual and still elegant. Would it kill him if he looked anything less than drop-dead-gorgeous, just for the sake of her poor heart?

“Hi, Marinette. You look lovely.” His smile was warm and welcoming. But there was a strange kind of nervousness in his voice that she hadn’t heard before. As if he had any reason to be nervous.

“Thank you,” she said, returning his smile. Because she could act civil after all. “I didn’t expect to see you here. Nino didn’t know you were coming.”

“It was a last minute thing. And I’m not here for long.” If anything, his answer was even more enigmatic than his behaviour. 

The music changed and he inclined his head to one side, looking curiously at her.

“Do you want to dance?”

She hesitated. Normally she’d jump at the chance. But she’d promised Chat. What if he came and saw her dancing with Adrien? Wasn’t it strange? She’d spent so long hoping to dance again with Adrien and when she finally had the chance, she was thinking about Chat. 

She had to be polite after all so she had to agree. And hope that a certain someone wouldn’t surprise them in the act. Now she was being dramatic.

“Of course.”

When he took her hand in his, her mind flashed to smooth leather. She really missed Chat. She wished she could feel as relaxed with Adrien as she did with him.

She looked around again, wanting to catch a glimpse of him and also hoping not to, without even realising that it was a little rude to her dancing partner.

“Are you looking for someone?” Adrien asked, no trace of offense in his voice. She was surprised to find him smiling softly at her.

“In fact, yes. I promised someone a dance. He was kind enough to help me practice. And he promised he’d be here.” The truth spilled from her mouth and left her feeling mortified. Adrien had only been polite, asking her to a dance, and here she was oversharing!

“Practice? I wouldn’t think you’d need it. You’re doing great.” His words echoed the comments Chat had made over the past two weeks, making her smile.

“Just pray for your toes.” She warned him with an even wider smile. The thing was, she felt surprisingly detached from the whole experience. It had been a shock. And God, Adrien was good-looking. But she didn’t feel nervous around him, not the way she’d had before.   
Did this have anything to do with Chat? She wanted him in Adrien’s place. This was the truth. Although, if she had to be honest, the way she was dancing with Adrien felt oddly familiar. They were so in tune with each other, it was like they’d been doing this for some time now.

Marinette felt something twist in her stomach. She shouldn’t be thinking that. Comparing them was one thing. But thinking there were some weird similarities between them and where this was leading to was not good. She heard a soft chuckle and looked up.

“You’ve really taken to waltzing. You do it without realising.”

That was when she saw that they were moving in a perfect square. It felt so practiced, as if they’d done it many times before. She’d been thinking the same thing just now! It was as if a part of her knew and was just waiting for the rest to catch up. And his words, oh God, what he’d said only confirmed this.

She looked into his eyes again. He was looking at her as if he was waiting for her to put two and two together. This was no coincidence then. 

He knew she’d been practicing waltz. Dancing with him felt so natural. Had she been blind? It felt exactly the same when she was with Chat. Now even the shirt colour made sense.

Was this why he was here? For her? Just then she realised that this meant he knew! He knew how she felt about him! In the grand scheme of things, this was such a small thing. She didn’t want to freak out but he knew! And yet, the world hadn’t come to an end, right?

His hand squeezed her hip lightly. Her feet were moving on autopilot while her mind and heart were in disarray. There was no way this went unnoticed by him. She felt confused and overwhelmed. But also happy? He knew and he’d come and the way he was looking at her. Oh God. 

“Chat?” she whispered, finally surrendering to the truth. She’d wanted an easy solution to the situation they were in, she just hadn’t expected that it would involve finding out his identity.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oops?


	6. ... with somebody who loves me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Adrien's turn to find out some interesting things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's here, the final chapter! Sorry for the cliffhanger in the previous one, I hope the anticipation was worth it!  
> We had to leave Adrien for the last two chapters (for higher suspense, ha!) but now it's time to see what goes on in his mind. I dare you not to laugh when you read the first paragraph 😁

This girl would be the death of him, Adrien was sure. Lip gloss, seriously? As if it hadn’t been hard enough to resist kissing her before that. She somehow looked even more beautiful than the night before. She was like an ethereal vision - soft and inviting and… looking at him wide-eyed since she’d just figured out his secret identity. Oops.

It was his cue to whisk her away to a more private place. At least he’d done something right since they’d ended up right by the balcony door and he led her outside without attracting too much attention.

“I’m really sorry,” he said as soon as they were alone. “I know you’re a little (or more) mad at me for knowing about your feelings and not saying anything. But I was at a loss. I couldn’t tell you without revealing who I am.”

“But you did exactly that just now!” She said, trying to keep her voice down. She didn’t look like she was in shock so he didn’t need to worry about that.

“Um… That’s another thing. I didn’t expect this, really. But it cost me all my self control not to kiss you last night. I swear to God I’ve never wanted something so much in my life. But I knew it wouldn’t be fair to you since you didn’t know who I am.” He still couldn’t believe he’d been able to walk away.

“And then.. You asked me to come and dance with you. And maybe I should have said no. But I couldn’t. I racked my brain for what to do all day long until I decided this would be the only right move. I trust you, I know you’d never tell anyone about my identity. I’ll worry about Ladybug being mad at me later.” He was a little out of breath by the time he finished his little speech.

“You’re right to worry about me being mad at you, kitty.” Her voice sounded stern and she was obviously going for a threatening look. But instead she was smiling and her eyes were shining and.. What had she said?

He blinked. No. It couldn’t be. But there it was. Marinette and Ladybug merged into one right in front of his eyes. That would mean he’d fallen in love with her twice? Ha! But what about her? Since she’d said she no longer wanted to dance with Adrien and ...

Before he could react, she kissed him. _Oh._ Was he really lucky enough to have her fall for him twice too? She pulled back before he could really kiss her back and he felt bereft. She was blushing in the most adorable way.

“I guess my self control is worse than yours,” She said, obviously trying to excuse what she’d done. As if she needed to.

“Come back here,” he said and this time it was him kissing her. And then it was both of them and it was perfect, absolutely perfect. It was compensation for every kiss he’d craved and every one he hadn’t realised he wanted. He couldn’t believe his luck. 

“We were so stupid, “ he said when they came up for air and they both laughed. They’d been so busy sharing their heartbreak and looking for a way out of it, they hadn’t noticed they were falling for the same person twice.

“I can’t believe you did this to me, you sneaky cat!” Marinette said suddenly, fire shooting from her eyes. That was exactly the reaction he’d expected from his lady. HIS LADY! No, he didn’t want to jump the gun.

“I’m sorry! I told you I saw no way around it,” he said, pulling back a little to give her some space.

“I don’t mean the reveal although that’s wrong on so many levels that I don’t know where to begin. I mean dumping it on me in the middle of a room full of people!” Oh, that.

“I just dropped a few hints. It’s just because you’re brilliant that you figured it out!” He said in his defence. She didn’t look impressed.

“You could have done it here, in private.”

“But I promised you a dance! I’m sorry I couldn’t hold it in long enough to wait for it to end.”

“I’m not sure it would have worked even if you tried. I already felt unsettled by how familiar it all felt.” She shrugged. “Oh well. It’s done.” Just then panic flitted across her face. “How am I going to explain this to Alya?!” She exclaimed, holding her head in her hands.

“What exactly?” He asked, confused. 

“I was very convincing about not being interested in you anymore! Because of a certain black cat,” She hissed. “And the whole Kagami thing. How am I going to explain you being my boyfriend all of a sudden?”

He froze. He hadn’t wanted to presume. But oh what this did to his heart when he heard it. 

“Do you mean it?” He whispered. It took her a moment to realise what he meant.

“Of course, kitty. I fell in love with you twice, I’m not going to miss this chance,” she said with a grin, obviously channeling her inner Ladybug. 

“Say it again,” he said, moving closer. It was better than music to his ears. 

“I love you,” she whispered as he caressed her cheeks with his thumbs. 

“Again,” he said against her lips and could feel her answering smile. 

“I love you.” It felt fitting to seal it with a kiss. 

“This is starting to feel a little one-sided,” she teased him after that. He gasped. How could he forget to say it himself?

“I love you, I love you, I love you,” he rushed to catch up and she giggled in delight. Someone was calling to attention inside and he sobered up a bit.

“I have to go now,” he said with regret. 

“What, now?”

“Yes, I told you it was a last-minute thing. My father doesn’t even know I’m here. I need to get back as soon as possible before they notice my absence.”

“Bold of you to assume that your presence here will go unnoticed,” she said, looking him up and down. He grinned unapologetically at her. 

“I tried to be discrete. And since no one followed us out, I’m sure only Alya knows. I guess we can count on her not to send someone after us, right? So we can have some alone time, you know,” he said wiggling his eyebrows. She slapped him on the arm but didn’t exactly push him back. Instead she pulled him down for another kiss. He was pleased to notice there was no lip gloss left on her lips after that. But maybe there was on his, he’d have to check.

She rested her head on his shoulder and he held her tight. It took them some time to realise they were swaying to the music coming from inside. Their eyes met and they both grinned. 

“I guess this is our thing now,” he said, kissing the top of her head. 

“You seem very distracted, I don’t know if you were successful in not being noticed and now your father will decide I’m a bad influence on you. You better go,” she said halfheartedly. He really didn’t want to let go of her after dreaming of holding her like that for so long. But he had to. 

“You _are_ a bad influence on me. Look at what you’re making me do. Sneak out, hide at dances, give free dance lessons.” 

“Now you’re saying all this is my fault?” She sounded indignant. 

“Yes, but I’m not complaining.” He said with a teasing grin and kissed her quickly before turning around to leave. 

“I’ll see you tomorrow?” He said hopefully as he paused. 

“It’s Saturday.” She reminded him, her arms crossed defiantly. 

“Well, maybe then I can take you out on a date?” He went through his day in his head. He’d be quite busy. “Or maybe I’ll visit you in the evening. I might not have time for anything else.”

“Or maybe a certain superheroine can stop by your house?” The mischievous look in her eyes took his breath away. 

“Yes, please,” he barely managed to say. She winked at him and went back inside.   
Adrien needed a minute before he could transform and go home because he felt so light-headed he was sure he’d crash somewhere. He really wasn’t sure his heart could take this, but he was willing to try.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this is it! I really had a lot of fun with this little story! As usual, thank you to my wonderful readers who made this journey so much better! In conclusion, fast burn for the win! 😄


	7. Epilogue: Concert for one

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien takes Marinette away for a surprise date

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise!

Marinette felt the air whoosh around her. She heard it too. She could also feel Adrien’s hair tickle her arm and his warmth transfer to her whenever they touched. She practically buried her nose in his neck and took a deep breath. Yes, he smelled as divine as always. So she couldn’t really complain.

If it wasn’t for the fact that she couldn’t see a thing. She didn’t know what to make of all this secrecy. Adrien has arrived just as she was preparing for bed, without even calling beforehand, and he’d just whisked her away. Not that she was worried, she’d follow him to the end of the world with no hesitation. But she didn’t know why he’d insisted that he’d carry her to their destination. And the blindfold seemed a bit too much. 

She sighed in relief when he stopped moving and let her feet touch the ground. To her surprise, however, he didn’t remove the blindfold. 

“Adrien?” She said, confused, as she heard him walk away.

“Just wait a minute. And bear with me, I haven’t done this suited up before.” His voice soothed her worry and she turned around, following it. There was silence and then, music. 

Marinette felt her lips curve into a smile and then stretch into a wide grin. _Ballade pour Adeline_. He was playing _Ballade pour Adeline_ for her!

She wondered if they were in his room. But then realised it was too late, he wouldn’t risk being heard. And the acoustics were different. That was when she realised that there was no more need to keep the blindfold on, he’d already achieved his surprise. So she removed it and turned around in awe, taking in the empty concert hall. Until she made a full circle and her eyes found Adrien on the piano. 

Their eyes met and they smiled at each other. She didn’t want to say anything while he was playing. It was beautiful. It was the same piece she’d listened to again and again, but it somehow sounded better when he played it. And he seemed to be doing so effortlessly, even in the suit. 

Yes, his reaction when he’d first heard her choice of background music for their dance sessions totally made sense now. He hadn’t wanted to give away how familiar he was with Richard Clayderman’s music, although she didn’t think she would have made the connection even if he’d said that he loved playing his pieces. It was too late for that now. 

She walked slowly towards the piano, letting the melody wash over her, and paused by the bench, trying not to bother him. When the final chords died away, she clapped, beaming.

“This was absolutely amazing!” She gushed. He grinned in return but she wasn’t done. “I have a complaint, though.” He looked at her questioningly, the grin slipping from his face. “I missed you here, dancing with me,” she added softly. 

He laughed, obviously relieved that her complaint wasn’t about his performance. 

“I haven’t found a way around this yet - playing the piano and dancing at the same time. But I really wanted to do this for you,” he said with a smile.

“Thank you, I appreciate it. I love listening to you play the piano.” It was true, even though she hadn’t had the pleasure many times until now. That was when another thing occurred to her. “Care to enlighten me why you had to play without transforming first?” 

His answering smile was enigmatic. 

“Well, I have some unfinished business,” he said as he got up and walked around the bench to join her. “Something I should have done before the dance,” he added as he took her in his arms. _Oh._ She couldn’t help the flutter in her heart. It had been over a week and she still couldn’t get used to having him so close, knowing that he was hers and, yes, kissing him.

When their lips met, it was familiar. She’d already lost count of the times they’d kissed. It was thrilling and she couldn’t get enough of him. But it never ceased to amaze her and the first kiss after some time apart was always special. 

She was sure she looked a little woozy when they pulled back, but she couldn’t help it. 

“Not that I mind the kiss, exactly the opposite, but it still didn’t answer my question,” she said as she came back to her senses. He looked a little embarrassed as he pointed between them.

“This was how it all started, it felt fitting to bring it to its rightful conclusion,” he said. She shook her head at the incurable romantic he was. Yes, this explained a lot. Especially why he hadn't let her transform too and just follow him there, it wouldn't have ruined the surprise that much. 

“I wouldn’t say “all”...” she said, flicking his bell. “But I get what you mean.”

“It played a crucial part. How about that?” he asked. 

“I can agree with that. Now, give me a kiss and play something else for me,” she said with a teasing smile. She didn’t even wait for him, she just kissed him. He laughed and let her go. 

“Your wish is my command, m’lady,” he said with a dramatic bow, before he sat down again. He started playing _Mariage D'Amour_ and Marinette leaned against the piano with a happy sigh. She knew they couldn’t stay long as it was already late. But she wished she could stop time and stay in this moment forever. Just him and her and the magic he created with the piano. 

One of the perks of being a superhero was that they could do it again anytime they wanted, so she didn’t really have to worry about the evening being over. She could enjoy it while it lasted, she thought with a smile as he kept on playing, just for her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I should start by saying that as an original Marichat shipper I melt imagining Chat playing on the piano for Marinette. But thinking up how exactly to make it happen can be quite tricky. So when I imagined this scenario again, I remembered this story and decided that it would work great as a small epilogue. I know, I know that this is not Marichat, it's post-reveal, but please let me fool myself and be happy that I finally wrote it 😁


End file.
